I enter this day, Lord, desiring to be a blessing.
I know I will make mistakes – even today.
But Your mercies are new for me – right in the midst of my weaknesses.
Scripture for today: Romans 11:30-32 (NASB)
“For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.”
Most every morning, I awake and enter each day thanking God for the new day, asking His direction and that His perfect will be accomplished through me – that I be a blessing to Him and to others in all I think, say and do. My desire is to be pleasing to Him – to honor Him – to bless Him – and to lead others to Him…that I may know Him and make Him known…that I decrease as He increases in and through me. I want Him to be glorified in everything I think, do, say, in everything others perceive through me…
And then I get out of bed! Eeks!
I am a mere, slight, imperfect, selfish, frail, inadequate, weak human being. I am going to fail. I will fail my God. I will fail my family. I will fail my friends. I will fail my church. I will fail my employer. I will fail you. I will fail. So will you.
There is only one perfect one – Jesus Christ. He never sinned. Even tempted as each one of us are – in EVERY way – yet He did NOT sin. He became sin for us that we could be set free. We can throw down the chains of bondage that have so confined, stifled, tormented and dominated so many areas of our lives – because Jesus Christ took the curse for us.
God knows I am not perfect. He knows you are not perfect. He never expected either of us – any one of us – to be perfect. HIS strength is displayed in our weakness. If we are not weak – there would be NO REASON for His strength. We were created to be a display of His glory. Had we been perfect, there would be NO display of His glory, NO reason for His mercy…
I hate the mistakes I have made. I will make more. I despise the disobedience in which I have participated. There will be more in my future… But my heart is submitted to God. My hope is in Him. My desire is to please Him. He knows my weakness – and yours – yet He still chose to create us and bring us into being in this world in this time to be a display of Himself – of His glory – of His mercy. His mercy is NOT a benefit of our obedience – for we would not need mercy if we were in perfect obedience. His mercy is a benefit – a result – of His perfect love for us and His compassion toward us.
Today, be encouraged to receive His mercy despite your imperfections. He created you on purpose, with purpose, to fulfill purpose – to be a display of His mercy, His glory, His love, His compassion in the earth. But don’t just receive it for yourself. Give it to others. Reflect on the mercies God has shown you; and then in turn, show tender mercies to all others. Be a beautiful, powerful display of God in the earth today. Be a blessing to all others as you reflect His character to others, just as He has shown Himself to you.
Holding Fast to Hope,
Maryann
Scripture References: Johh 3:30; Romans 3:23; Hebrews 4:15; 2 Cor. 5:21; Isaiah 43:7; 2 Cor.1:3-4; 1 Timothy 1:12-16
